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Open Projects

Ever get to the point where you have so many projects going on at once that you feel like you can’t complete any of them. Its like a game of ping pong, bouncing from one thing to another.

I am feeling that way this past few months. Really since Aquarius season started (Aquarius rising here). So many ideas are coming to mind, so many projects that will enhance the other projects, so many things to share with others!

What I have been learning since moving into our home is that projects come in many shapes and sizes… and they just keep coming. Even if they aren’t from your own imagination. I can create new ideas for projects all day long, but the more I do that the more the universe presents me with other projects. Perhaps its to keep me grounded, (mostly air and water energy here.)

Passion Projects

What I have found looking at all of the things I have going on, what things I would like to complete soon, and how these things relate… is that they all come back to one thing… my passion for sharing art, nature and spirituality.

Creating a nonprofit 501c3 for the arts and education of the whole human, with deep connection to self, nature and one another, is one of my ultimate and most driving passion.

Thinking of all of the things on my to-do list for this goal is where the projects start. Making a list of all of the things I need to do to get to that goal is usually where I start. Once I make that list, I begin the tasks.

I look at each task in terms of how quickly I could accomplish that specific task and begin accordingly. That’s usually why I have multiple things happening at one time!

Passion Projects

Reflection Projects

Stepping back and reflecting on why something is the way it is, allows a person to see things with less emotional attachment.

When I was driving to work today I started thinking of all the things on my lists, and I started to feel overwhelmed. I started to FEEL like I wasn’t doing something right because I had so many open projects!

Now that I’ve taken time to write it out and reflect on the whole situation… I realize how beautiful it is to have so many open projects. How much life and energy there is flowing around me, that I can direct it as I will.

Reflection reminds me that there isn’t anything wrong… its simply a matter of seeing it differently and being open to new perspectives. That is why I love writing. One of my favorite exercises is to do stream of conscious writing, where I write whatever comes to mind for at least 3 whole pages. This has really helped me to be able to step back during the day to evaluate my thoughts and feelings and to realize everything is about learning and growing. To know this allows us to have compassion for ourselves and one another when things dont go as we expect them to.

Expectations are good in only that they help us to strive for our greatest desires. However things usually never turn out exactly how we expect them to, so if we hold on to these ideas… we usually are never satisfied.

You know you are on the right path, when your passions align with your everyday projects. You know you are doing what you love, when your everyday life is aligning with your passions.

<3 Keep shining, keep creating

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Art Art Class Education Most Popular

Youth Art Month

So March was Youth Art Month,

I’m a little late on this blog… but in light of the current pandemic and quarantine situation I thought why couldn’t every month be an art month!

So here is my youth art month post to recap that art that has been made by my students through March and April!! 

Youth Art Month, TAKE A JOURNEY THROUGH ART mural

 

8th grade Point of View projects!

 

7th grade Plaster Choice projects!!

 

7th grade Collaborative Expression projects!

 

Remote Learning: Constraints Theme

 

Remote Learning: Choice Board projects

 

Man I miss my students!

<3

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Art Class Divine I Am Earth Education Existence Green Lifestyle Most Popular Revealing Treasures in your Own Backyard

Caring for our Watershed

This year my green club students wrote proposals for a contest called Caring for our Watershed,

Turning ideas into environmental solutions!

The CARING FOR OUR WATERSHEDS program asks students to submit a proposal that answers the question, “What can you do to improve your watershed?” Students must research their local watershed, identify an environmental concern and draft a written proposal containing one realistic solution. Community judges select the top entries to compete at a final, verbal competition for cash prizes.

There were three proposals written and submitted, each part of a large project to turn our old ‘glen” area into an inviting and restorative outdoor classroom.  The Glen area is a large wooded area that is surrounded by our school and looks out over our athletic fields.  This area has 8 benches that are worn down and torn apart. My students see that there is so much potential in this beautiful space.

They created a proposal that restored our bluebird boxes and benches, build a pathway and secured trash cans in specific locations along the path, and created a rain garden near a storm drain at the bottom of the hill. These three proposals are completely feasible, it’s just a matter of funding and permission from the county school board.

We heard back from the company this week and we were not a finalist, however we did win $500 towards our ideas! This is so exciting because the projects are coming together on their own. Ridgely’s awesome assistant principal Matt Rosati has volunteered to build our bluebird boxes, and a couple salad tables, and now we have money towards starting our next step to completing our projects!

In addition to receiving $500 for our student project, we were invited to the Student Environmental Action Showcase on April 23rd, 2019 at George Mason University Center for the Arts from 10AM-2PM to participate in their poster presentation, network with peers, and participate in activities throughout the showcase.

There is also an opportunity to have funds matched for projects up to $1000!

I am so excited to see what we accomplish in the coming year!

<3